Musical rolling hoop

ABSTRACT

An activity toy comprised of a rolling hoop and a push bar for urging the hoop to roll over the ground or a supporting surface, the push bar being made of detachable segments so to be conveniently packaged when being sold, and the hoop in one form comprising a simple circular rim, in another form comprising the circular rim supporting a disc concentrically therewithin that is supported by tension springs between the disc and rim, and in a further modified form the hoop being provided with a series of valves and slideable weights which strike the bells as the hoop rotates during travel.

United States Patent Shearer [54] MUSICAL ROLLING HOOP [72] Inventor: Bruce Shearer, 5600 Applegate Lane,

Louisville, Ky. 40219 [22] Filed: Feb. 25, 1971 211 App]. No.: 118,899

[ 1 July 18, 1972 1,904,028 4/1933 Kersten ..46/1l4 Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner--J. Q. Lever [5 7] ABSTRACT An activity toy comprised of a rolling hoop and a push bar for urging the hoop to roll over the ground or a supporting surface, the push bar being made of detachable segments so to be conveniently packaged when being sold, and the hoop in one form comprising a simple circular rim, in another form comprising the circular rim supporting a disc concentrically therewithin that is supported by tension springs between the disc and rim, and in a further modified form the hoop being provided with a series of valves and slideable weights which strike the bells as the hoop rotates during travel.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures PAlENTEnJuuamz 3,676,951

/A/ VE/V 7'08 fizz/CE .4, 5/75/4852? MUSICAL ROLLING HOOP This invention relates generally to activity toys. A principal purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel activity toy that comprises a rolling hoop and push bar for urging the hoop to travel forwardly upon the ground.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stroll-a-wheel wherein the push bar is comprised of segmented parts which are readily attachable together for operative use, and wherein the segments when separated permit the device to make a small package so that it can be conveniently retailed.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a stroll-a-wheel wherein the hoop in one form comprises a simple rim having a central opening so to permit a hook formed on the end of the push bar to be readily placed into the central opening and grasp the rim thusly when it is desired to stop or catch the hoop.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a stroll-a-wheel wherein in another form, the hoop includes a circular central disc placed within the rim in a spaced relation, the disc being spaced from the rim by a series of tension springs.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a stroll-a-wheel wherein in another form the hoop includes a series of bells and a series of slideable weights which strike against the bells as the wheel rotates so as to provide a musical sound.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a stroll-a-wheel which is simple in design inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification together with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the present invention showing the push bar and one form of the hoop;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a modified design of the hoop and which includes depressions on its inner circumference for producing an audible sound;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view showing a modified design of the hoop which includes a series of bells and slideable clappers for striking the bells as the wheel or hoop rotates, and

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of yet a further modified design of hoop which includes a central circular disc supported by means of radially extending tension springs to the rim.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and more particularly at this time to FIG. 1 thereof, the reference numeral represents a stroll-a-wheel, according to the present invention, wherein there is a hoop l1 and a push bar 12.

The hoop 11 comprises a simple circular rim which may be made of metal, plastic or other material; and which is approximately 12 inches in diameter, or 1% inches in width and wherein the material thickness of the rim is approximately one-eighth of an inch. The push bar 12 comprises an elongated assembly that consists of a bar segment 13 and 14, the segment 13 being bent into a U-shaped configuration at its one end and which has its opposite end threaded as shown at 16. The other segment 14 is provided with a handle 17 at its one end and is also provided with a thread 18 at its opposite end. The threaded ends 16 and 18 are enjoined together by means of an internal threaded sleeve 19 which holds the assembly together. It is to be noted that the hook 15 includes parallel spaced apart legs 20 between which the hoop is guided while rolling along a ground. Additionally, the hook 15 includes an interconnecting leg 21 between the legs 20, the leg 21 serving to bear against the outerside 22 of the hoop urging it ahead for travel. When it is desired to catch the hoop and prevent it to travel further, the hook simply is inserted into a central opening 23 of the hoop for hooking the hoop.

In FIG. 2, there is shown a modified cross-section of a hoop 24 which upon its inner side 25 there are located a series of depressions 26 which serve as vallies which cause the hoop to produce an audible tone or sound as it travels, the tone changing as the s eed of travel varies.

n FIG. of the drawing, another modified form of hoop 27 includes a rim 28 and a central disc 29 upon which there are mounted a series of radially extending bars 30 each one of which at its opposite end is adjacent a bell 31, the bar 30 having a freely slideable weight or clapper 32 placed thereupon. In this form of the invention when the hoop rotates as shown by the arrows 33 while traveling upon a ground 34, the clappers 32 slide along the bar 30 so as to strike the bells 31; the slideability of the clappers being accomplished due to gravity as is readily evident.

In FIG. 4 a further modified design of hoop 35 is shown which includes the circular rim 36 and a circular flat disc 37 concentrically positioned within the rim 36 and maintained in concentric position by means of a series of radially extending tension springs 38 which at their opposite end are secured to appropriate eye screws secured to the rim and disc. The disc 37 may be attractively colored with segments thereof with different colors so that as the hoop rotates, the colors will blend so as to produce secondary colors. As the travel speed increases for the hoop, more than two colors may blend together so as to produce a third combination of colors.

It is to be noted that in the form of the hoop that employes the bells and clappers, the same may be made to produce melodies by the bells having different pitch so that as they are successively struck by the clappers, a melody may be produced.

What I now claim is:

1. In a stroll-a-wheel, the combination of a push bar and a hoop, said hoop being comprised of a circular rim for rolling upon a ground or other supporting surface and said push bar comprising an elongated assembly made of a series of bar segments, one of said bar segments at its one end being provided with a handle, the other of said segments at its one end being provided with a generally U-shaped hook, and the opposite ends of said segments being detachably enjoined together by a means of a threaded sleeve, said rim of said hoop on its inner circumference being provided with a series of arcuate depressions for producing an audible tone as said hoop travels, and a central disc being fitted with said rim, said disc having a series of radially extending bars secured thereupon, a clapper being slideable along each of said bars and a bell at each opposite end of each of said bars for being struck by said clapper. 

1. In a stroll-a-wheel, the combination of a push bar and a hoop, said hoop being comprised of a circular rim for rolling upon a ground or other supporting surface and said push bar comprising an elongated assembly made of a series of bar segments, one of said bar segments at its one end being provided with a handle, the other of said segments at its one end being provided with a generally U-shaped hook, and the opposite ends of said segments being detachably enjoined together by a means of a threaded sleeve, said rim of said hoop on its inner circumference being provided with a series of arcuate depressions for producing an audible tone as said hoop travels, and a central disc being fitted with said rim, said disc having a series of radially extending bars secured thereupon, a clapper being slideable along each of said bars and a bell at each opposite end of each of said bars for being struck by said clapper. 